The Essential Elements of Certified Organic Meat

 

No pesticides or chemical fertilizers are permitted in the growing of the animals' feed The animals must be fed from crops grown on land which has not been sprayed for a minimum of three years No Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) are permitted in the animals' feed No anti-biotics or growth hormones (implants) are permitted No Animal By-Products are ever permitted in the animals feed. Third party verification and inspection are required by an accredited certifying body A thorough audit trail is required to trace all certified organic products back to the farm of origin The organic processor must maintain and update an organic processing and handling plan The farm must monitor soil and water quality at all times

 

 

Beretta Organic Farms is certified organic by Organic Crop Producers and Processors (OCPP) and Pro-Cert Canada (OCPRO). Certified organic is not the same as "natural", "antibiotic free", "free-range" and many other of the clever marketing angles used by non-certified producers. For example, claiming a product is "antibiotic free" is misleading. It may only mean "antibiotic free" for a certain time, such as the last 4 weeks before the animal is slaughtered. In contrast, certified organic practices prohibit the use of antibiotics, period. There is no chance they may have been used or are routinely used up to a certain stage of the animals' growth.

 

Biotechnology is something we are all concerned about. The mainstream use of genetically modified organisms (GMO's) in our food products is worrisome. Certified organic is your only guarantee that absolutely no genetically modified organisms are in it. "Natural" meat does not.

 

No chemical pesticides or fertilizers are used--ever--in the production of a certified organic product. This is not something that concerns many companies promoting the so-called "natural" foods. Everything in nature is linked, and the feed and the land are as important to the meat as the way the animal is raised. Let us tell you more about how we raise our animals.

 

Keep asking questions about your food, how it was produced, and in the case of organic, why it is not certified. You'll be amazed at some of the answers as you become more educated!